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Department of War PDF Tier 2 · Documented report

Flying Object Report, Indiana, 1953

DOW-UAP-D164 · Release 07 (10/23)
AgencyDepartment of War
Document typePDF
Incident date12/1/53
ReleaseRelease 07 (10/23)
Evidence tierTier 2 · Documented report

What the document says

This document is a Flying Objects Report prepared in accordance with Air Force Regulation 200-2, which established guidance for reporting unidentified flying objects. The report records an incident near Seymour, Indiana, in which two civilian reporters stated that they observed two airborne objects while traveling by car. The report does not identify an exact event date; its weather assessment addresses conditions during the period December 8–15, 1953. The report describes the incident as consisting of a “brilliant moving light” and two large, white, cloudy or gaseous objects in a staggered formation. It further describes four bright points of light within each object and a bluish-white, vapor-like trail. The report describes the object kinematics as an in-line approach with a steady descent, a stationary interval of unreported duration, and a rapid departure along an abrupt upward angle toward the southwest. It records an estimated direct observation period of three to four minutes, with a total elapsed period of five to six minutes that included changes in the vehicle’s route. All descriptive and estimative language contained in this report reflects the reporter’s subjective interpretation at the time of the event. Such characterizations should not be interpreted as a conclusive indication of the presence or absence of any intrinsic object features or performance characteristics.
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Document text

Auto-extracted from the original PDF · may contain extraction artifacts. The source document above is authoritative.

--- Authority: NND57597 HEADQUP. RT E RS 2466th AIR FORCE-RESERVE COMBAT TRAINING CENTER (CONACl_ Atterbury Air Force Base • Columbus, Indiana RIO 13 JAN 1954_ SUBJECT : UFOB AF607182 TO : Director of' Intelligence Headquarter s, United States Air Force t-Jashington 25, D. c. l. In lieu of AF Form 112b as required by AFR 200-2, 26 August 1953, the following inf'ormation is submitted to conf'orm to paragraph 6b of cited regulation : a . Description of the objects : (1) Shape : Circular ring of smoke; cloudy substance that stayed in a plane. No upper or lower structure could be seen. (2) Size : Observer would not estimate size with the exception of' using the word, "large". No relati ve comparison. (3) Color : White, cloudy, gase·ous .. (4) Number: Two (5) Formation: Staggered like two jets in flight, tightly following each other. (6) Discernable features or details: Four bright or brilliant equidistant points of light 'Within the same plll]le, rotat­ ing slowly clockwise and seeming to be the source of cloudy aura, white in color. (7) Tail, trail or exhaust: Compared favorably with Jet take­ off when observed at night. Bluish vhite with vaporish trail. (8) Sound : None to the ear, although observer s stood outside of car to make sure. (9) Other pertinent or unusual features : Controlled downward ti lt f'rom direction of approach to hovering point. Com­ plete level stability while hovering. Take-off in upward tilt with bright points of light fixed, two to the r ear and two forward. Incredible speed when disappearing. Hq 2466th AFRCTC, Atterbury AFB, Columbus, Indiana., RIO, Subj : ti'OB b. Description of course of objects: • (1) Attention: Observers attracted by brilliant moving light. • (2) Angle of flight: Observers were in moving car and travelling East. Looked North at approximately 20° elevation. (3) Angle of flight on disappeiu-ance: Undetermined by observers; spoken of as, "sharp upward travel", in southwesterly direction having approached from the North. (4) Flight path and maneuvers: In-line approach with steady decent; stationary attitude at one spot; then tremendous acceleration on in-line flight at an abrupt angle. (5) Manner of disappearance: Seemingly instantaneous surge to maximum speed, keeping formation. (6) Length of time observed: Approximately three (3) to four (4) minutes. Observation period included two (2) moves and ·one chan~ of direction of car travel fig­ ured at about two (2) minutes elapsed time. Total time, then, was five to six minutes. c. Manner of observation: (1) Ground-visual. Area of final observation was flat, north of city congestion, with no buildings nearby. (2) No optical aids employed. (3) Not applicable. d. Time and tate of sighting: (1) Time : 0002 to 0008Z Date: Observers unable to remember exactly. (2) Light conditions : Between dusk and night. e. Locati on of observers : (1) 85° 49' East 39° 03 1 North Seymour, Indiana. f . Identifying information of all observers : (1) Civilians - Mr Hiram and Mrs Gladys Jones; Mr Jones, 60. 100 South Chestnut Street, Seymour, Ind. He is a drugist. Owner-operator of Jones Drug Store. Not prone to exaggeration; direct forthright attitude toward people; within his Imo,-1ledge, he is truthful, honest. Hq 2466th AFRCTC, Atterbury AFB, Columbus, Ind. , RIO, Subj: UFOB g. Weather/wind conditions: (1) Period covers the week of 8 December to 15 December 195.3. (a) Dec 8 - 10: Overcast 10 - 12: Cle.<ir between 1800 to 2400, otherwise overcast. ll - 12: Overcast 1.3 - 15: Overcast Light rain, drixzl e, light snow, fog prevailed interntlttently. (b) Dec 8 - 13: winds South thru West 14 - 15: switched to North Vel ocity: 10 to 12 K Visibility: l½ miles to 15 miles variable thruout week. h. Other unusual activity or conditions : No noticeable disturbances or conditions in the area. Observati on information provided by s/sgt Bill y R. Egger, Chief Observer, Detachment 21, Ninth J.JeP.ther Group, Atterbury AFB . 1. Physical evi dence of the sighting: None. j . Not applicable. k. Air traff'ic in area: None according to observers. Impossible to verify without exact date through ACS and 2466th Operations. 1. Position, title, comments by preparing Officer (NCO). No off'icer assigned at the time of report contact. S/Sgt Bruce C.F. Butler NCOIC, Reserve Information Office Comments: Contact with Mr Jones developed on the advice of Dr '·l.S. Fisher, 422 Ninth St., Columbus, Ind. , through a telephone call to Lt Marvi n Satin, Adjutant, (at the time, OD) on 9 January at approximately 1650 (CST) Hq 2466th A.."li'RCTC, Atterbury AFB, Columbus, Ind., RIO, Subj: UFOB Comments: Mr Jones was a patient in the Bartholomew County Hospital and under the care of Dr. Fisher. He was to'be released 10 January or 11 January after short con­ valescence. Mr Jones stated that he had not told anyone of his exper­ iences other than three personal friends desiring to avoid ridicule. He firmly believes in what he saw, however. His wife has the same attitude. Dr Fisher uncovered the story by saying he had a letter from his son in the Air Force in Saudi, Arabia, who claimed to have seen a "Flying Saucer". Therupon, Mr Jones divulged his experiences. FOR TI-IE; COMM !\NDER : DIST: ~.rt i. b Info Copy to AITC 2D 1.,T,1 USAF Ad utani;

Context

This is one of 282 Department of War records in the declassified archive. It was published in Release 07 (10/23).

Evidence tiers describe the type of record (sensor capture vs. written report vs. administrative file) · not a claim about its conclusions. UFO Papers reports only what the documents state.

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